Performance testing of a microfabricated propulsion system for nanosatellite applications

Abstract

There is a growing interest in the use of micro and nanosatellites within the aerospace community. Constellations of small satellites may eventually replace much larger, single function spacecraft as a cheaper, more flexible alternative. Micro-technologies will be required to enable small satellite missions including efficient, low-cost propulsion systems for maneuvering. A MEMS fabricated propulsion system has been developed for maneuvers on an upcoming University nanosatellite mission. The Free Molecule Micro-Resistojet (FMMR) is an electrothermal propulsion system designed for on-orbit maneuvers of nanosatellites, which are defined as spacecraft with an initial mass less than 10 kg. The FMMR has been tested using a torsion force balance to assess its performance using a variety of propellants including helium, argon, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The experimental performance results compare favorably with results obtained from gas kinetic theory, which were used in the design phase to estimate the thruster's performance. The measured performance of the FMMR in this study has proven to be adequate to perform attitude control maneuvers for the University nanosatellite mission.

Analysis of Nonisothermal Rarefied Gas Flow in Diverging Microchannels for Low-Pressure Microresistojets

“…The specific impulse basically increases when the gas temperature increases as a consequence of the higher wall temperature, or when the molecular mass decreases by changing the molecular species, as it is already shown by [9]. On the other hand, the thrust can be increased by increasing the plenum pressure, the channel wall temperature, the exit area or the transmission coefficient, as also shown by [9].…”

“…On the other hand, the thrust can be increased by increasing the plenum pressure, the channel wall temperature, the exit area or the transmission coefficient, as also shown by [9]. However, the channel wall temperature does not affect significantly the thrust and is obviously also limited by the material properties.…”

“…An important part of the system is the thrust chamber, or heater chip, usually characterized by a flat plate geometry with expansion slots or microchannels in which molecules are heated, accelerated and expelled into space [8]. As an example, the geometry proposed by Ketsdever et al [9] is a 19.2 x 19.2 mm square, 500 µm thick, manufactured on a double-sided polished silicon wafer. It contains 44 expansion slots with dimensions of 100 µm wide by 5.375 mm long.…”

Recent Trends and Advancements in the field of Micro Electrical and mechanical Systems (MEMS) Technology

“…This system is used for collection of information slike accelerometers and gyroscopes, which are used to estimate the pedestrian's rough position. To identify the standing still momenta zero velocity update (ZUPT) algorithm is developed [11] .…”

Green micro-resistojet research at Delft University of Technology: new options for Cubesat propulsion

“…For these reasons, TU Delft has started to work at an alternative concept: a low-pressure free molecular resistojet using water stored in its solid state and operating under sublimating conditions [11]. This innovative design concept represents an extension of a similar design developed and tested by Ketsdever et al in the period between 2000 and 2005 [24][25][26], but propellants stored in the solid phase were never implemented in that particular concept.…”